State senator seeks audit of school district's dealings with consulting firms

State senator seeks audit of school district's dealings with consulting firms

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Updated: 6:24 PM EST Nov 10, 2017

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WEBVTT BUT CONCERNS OVER HER CONSULTANTWORK AS CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICERIS STARTING TO RAISE SOMEEYEBROWS.WHITE TOOK OVER THE TOP JOBAFTER DR. DALLAS DANCE STEPPEDDOWN OVER THE SUMMER.BUT IN RECENT WEEKS, SHE'S BEENPRESSED TO ANSWER QUESTIONSABOUT CONSULTING WORK SHEPERFORMED FOR A COMPANY THAT MAYHAVE TIES TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.IN PART, THAT'S WHY SENATOR JIMBROCHIN IS ASKING THE MARYLANDDEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TOLAUNCH AN INVESTIGATION.>> I THINK WE NEED ETHICS REFORMIN THE SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICEAND I THINK THAT THEY SHOULD BEMANDATED THAT THEY HAVE TO MEETWITH COUNSEL TO SEE WHAT'S ABOVEBOARD AND WHAT'S NOT.TIM: IN A STATEMENT POSTED ONTHE BALTIMORE COUNTY SCHOOLSYSTEM WEBSITE, WHITE SAID, I--BUT BROCHIN AND NOW GOVERNORLARRY HOGAN SAY THEY WANT TOMAKE SURE.>> IF THESE ARE THINGS THAT AREREALLY HAPPENING THEN IT'SOUTRAGEOUS AND WE NEED TO GET TOTHE BOTTOM OF IT.TIM LAST WEEK, THE STATE BOARD: OF EDUCATION RELEASED THERESULTS OF AN AUDIT, CONDUCTEDBY A THIRD PARTY, CRITICAL OFTHE PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTYSCHOOL SYSTEM.IT FOCUSED ON STUDENT GRADUATIONRATES.SENATOR BROCHIN SAYS HE'SLOOKING FOR THE STATE BOARD TOCALL FOR A SIMILIAR AUDI>> WE NEED TO KNOW THAT IF THECOMPANIES THAT YOU MET WITH AREDOING BUSINESS WITH BALTIMORECOUNTY, PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT.TIM IN THAT SAME PUBLIC SCHOOL: SYSTEM STATEMENT, VERLETTAWHITE SAID --THE NEXT STATE SCHOOL BOARDMEETING IS DECEMBER 5.TO READ THE ENTIRE STATEMENTFROM BALTIMORE COUNTY'S INTERIMSCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT, VERLETTAWHITE, JUST GO TO OUR WBAL-TVAPP.

State senator seeks audit of school district's dealings with consulting firms

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"I think we need ethics reform in the superintendent's office, and I think that they should be mandated that they have to meet with counsel to see what's above board and what's not," Brochin said.

The county school system, White and former Superintendent Dallas Dance have come under fire for paid consulting work. It's work that's now causing some to raise critical questions.

White took over the top school system job four months ago. Since then, it has come to light that she has done consultant work for a research and development company that appears to have ties to school system.

Brochin wants the Maryland state Board of Education to perform a districtwide audit. Last week, the state board released the results of a third-party audit that was critical of student graduation rates at Prince George's County Public Schools. Brochin said he's looking for the state board to call for a similar audit for Baltimore County.

"We need to know that if the companies that you met with are doing business with Baltimore County, people should know that," Brochin said.

In a public statement posted on the school system's website, White said, "I have never been paid by a company doing business with our school system, and the school system has never paid for trips where I participated as a consultant."

"If these are things that are really happening, then it's outrageous and we need to get to the bottom of it," Hogan said.

White, who did consultant work while serving as chief academic officer, admitted in the statement, "The honest mistake I made was not writing these consultants fees on school system financial disclosure forms. The state board has not said if it'll conduct a Baltimore County school investigation, but some are convinced it may be the only way to clear the air."

"If you give this to the state board and you let them look at that, they are not mired in this politics. They can give it a fresh look. They can give the new superintendent advice on ethics reform," Brochin said.